Thursday, October 19, 2006

Peter MacKlander

What a typical Peter MacKay flip-flop. One year he says "dogs are loyal", implying Belinda Stronach isn't loyal. The next year he's comparing her to a dog. Does this mean that he now thinks she's loyal? Or has he changed his position on the loyalty of dogs? Which is it Peter?

I don't think it's too much to ask for a little consistency on important issues like this from the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

posted by calgarygrit at 8:39 p.m.

29 Comments:

  • That's vile. MacKay has struck me as a vindictive jerk ever since he came to one of my fourth-year seminars and acted like Brison's move to the Liberals was a betrayal worse than, oh, consigning the PC Party to oblivion after signing a document promising not to do that.

    By Blogger JG, at 9:54 p.m.  

  • On the heals of MacKay's inane comment about the NDP making the insurgency in Afghanistan bolder, this little slurs make me wonder if MacKay is feeling a little desparate. He is beginning to sound increasingly juvenile.

    By Blogger Psychols, at 10:30 p.m.  

  • Maybe McKay said this today to cover the fact that he has now admitted we will lose in Afghanistan if we don't get more troops.

    By Blogger Steve V, at 10:32 p.m.  

  • a Liberal jokingly asked Mr. MacKay about the impact of pollution on humans and animals: "What about your dog?"

    According to Mr. Holland, Mr. MacKay motioned toward Ms. Stronach's vacant seat and replied: "You already have her."

    That's actually kinda witty I think. Although granted, I agree that MacKay should display a strong pro- or a strong anti-dog position, or no position at all.

    Also, CG, you might like this if you haven't seen it already

    By Blogger Olaf, at 10:36 p.m.  

  • I really, really don't like Peter MacKay - I never have.

    But I think that's pretty damned funny - and I strongly support dumpees slagging dumpers. Gender doesn't factor in - boy or girl, you always get to reserve the right to call whoever broke your heart whatever comes to mind - all is fair in love and war.

    By Blogger Jacques Beau Vert, at 10:41 p.m.  

  • Yeah, I saw that Olaf - good article by Radwanski. I'll definitely toss it into my next link roundup.

    By Blogger calgarygrit, at 10:41 p.m.  

  • It's terribly insensitive to women to utter such distasteful and disparaging remarks. Under no circumstances should such behaviour be tolerated in a modern progressive society!

    But you gotta admit, that broad's a pooch.

    By Blogger Dr. Strangelove, at 10:45 p.m.  

  • You know what bothers me about this little brouhaha is that there are people who actually think McKay made a funny there.

    The reason he made a fool of himself is that his comment was so sophomoric (at best), not that it insulted dogs, or was that it was undecorous.

    Nobody expects real decorum in Parliament, and in fact, I'm sure others love good standup repartee as much as I do... but that wasn't it.

    Apart from that, Peter should be ashamed of himself for dragging his failed love-life before Parliament and all of Canada - maybe even the world!!! I had some sympathy for him when he did the blighted-lover-with-dog interview last year, but really... why does he need to keep picking his scabs in public??

    By Blogger Penelope Persons, at 11:04 p.m.  

  • Well Penny, I've just always given a lot of slack to the heartbroken, that's all.

    I wouldn't ever criticize Stronach for being bitter if he'd dumped her - so I'm not ever going to critize him for being bitter.

    Some people have a tough time moving on in love, and they have my sympathy, always.

    Is it appropriate in Parliament? A better question is: is it appropriate in the office, at the club, on the bus, in the gym? Who wants to hear it? I don't - but I will hear it out, and if I know the person, I'll buy them a drink and tell them that I know love hurts.

    Since I won't be seeing MacKay anytime soon, I'll just have to not criticize.

    Most people who are upset about this would not, I believe, be upset if she'd said it about him. Me, I believe in equal opportunity when it comes to heartache.

    By Blogger Jacques Beau Vert, at 11:23 p.m.  

  • Apart from that, Peter should be ashamed of himself for dragging his failed love-life before Parliament and all of Canada - maybe even the world!!!

    Penny! Why do you have to shame us small minded so! Please, just give us our simple pleasures.

    By Blogger Olaf, at 11:50 p.m.  

  • Poor Peter... in love and war... things are RUFF all over.

    P.S. CTV news net said that there is no notation of this supposed conversation in the minutes of the house. Go figure.

    By Blogger Tim, at 11:51 p.m.  

  • Ask a dumb question, get an even dumber answer.

    By Blogger The Tiger, at 7:02 a.m.  

  • There's apparently an audio tape that confirms the statement was made. Story on it over at the G&M. Very disappointing and outrageous that MacKay would make such a comment.

    There's love and war, and then there's petty vindictiveness that really has no place in the House of Commons.

    By Blogger RGM, at 9:55 a.m.  

  • Guys, if we're so worried about decorum in the House, should we really be worried about Peter's lovelife, or, say, Rob Anders?

    Who is more worthy of our attention as an MP in Parliament?

    By Blogger Jacques Beau Vert, at 10:35 a.m.  

  • The more disturbing thing about Peter MacKay's comments was that this is the 2nd time this year he has made a derogatory comment towards women. During the election he told former NDP leader Alexa McDonough that she was "better to stick to her knitting."

    By Blogger Bailey, at 10:39 a.m.  

  • Ron Anders love life.
    Man who wants to know about that?!!?

    All those men, hey maybe Anders and Belinda have something in common!

    By Blogger Aristo, at 11:28 a.m.  

  • I think we need to put this into perspective just as JBG did. I don't believe this statement to be, as Bailey states, a "derogatory comment towards women". Call me insensitive but it's really only derogatory towards Belinda.

    Calgary Grit, I generally love your posts but as a friend of the person you mocked, I hate your title!!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:39 a.m.  

  • At least Peter is taking some of the media attention away from the boo-birds and their universal condemnation of eventual action on clean-air.

    Peter, as the dumpee, still has political capital left in the bank..he'll come through this ok.

    Obviously a cunning plan drawn up by Supreme Overlord Harper.

    By Blogger JL, at 11:56 a.m.  

  • The statement may or may not have been made. But it seems clear that MacKay did not say it, and Mr. Holland owes the House an apology for slurring the name of a fellow MP.

    Bailey: using "Google" might avoid future embarassment as you learn what terms mean, and how they are used. The term, "stick to one's knitting" refers to focusing on what a person, or a company, is good at. There is no sexism in the term.

    By Blogger Paul, at 12:39 p.m.  

  • Belinda Stronach is not someone I wish to defend. Her personal life do not reflect my values and I think she has conducted herself very poorly. The issue is larger than Belinda Stronach though, there are other ethical questions.

    The first concern I have is how people who point to Belinda's moral and sexual transgressions with such vigor forgetting that Peter MacKay clearly found unision in her value system as demonstrated by a long courtship and their co-habitation. If she had not ended the relationship by moving to the LPC he would continue to openly live a life with her which would suggest shared morals and values.

    The other issue is that Mr. MacKay himself had a rumoured tendency to cheat on girlfriends and to have relationships going in unison with not everyone being in the loop.

    Why are we criticizing Ms. Stronach and not Mr. MacKay? I don't think he was much of an altarboy image.

    The other issue is fulfilling a responsibility to the taxpayer by conducting onself professionally at work. If Mr. MacKay has such deep emotional wounds that he is incapable of managing day to day professional interactions with his colleagues without making emotionally charged statements that have sexist overtones then perhaps the electorate should be encouraging him to seek professional help. I would hope that those benefits would be part of the package available to MP's. If he has emotional or psychological barriers impeding his employability we have an ethical responsibility to help him. I wrote him a letter to that effect this morning.

    By Blogger MissHailey, at 4:33 p.m.  

  • Jason, I know all about heartbreak, *sob* and it certainly did take me a long time to get over each one - at least, according to my sister, who thought there oughtta be a 6 month limit.

    That isn't the point here. I didn't make comments about ex-boyfriends to the passengers on my flights. Sure, I bitched back in the galley with my friends...!!

    If Peter had made derogatory comments about his ex-flame, comparing her to a dog, over coffee with another MP - or even a reporter - and it got reported, that would have been somewhat more excusable. But the guy is the "Hon." Minister of Foreign Affairs! He is supposed to be capable of diplomacy!! And he's in his 40s, isn't he? Not a 19yr old heartbroken jock.

    As I said, I did sympathise with Peter. But - assuming he did say what he was accused of (and after hearing the tape, I didn't hear a thing)it was just plain stupid.

    As a joke, it was a dumb one. (Sorry Olaf!! I love you anyway, even though you did laugh!) As to the location, not the right one.

    I think Belinda would have done the right thing, however, by having no comment or saying it was a non-issue.

    The best reaction is often no reaction at all.....

    By Blogger Penelope Persons, at 5:15 p.m.  

  • I didn't make comments about ex-boyfriends to the passengers on my flights. Sure, I bitched back in the galley with my friends...!!

    Yes, Penny - me too! (I used to work in travel also, btw - small world!) However, if I had to work WITH someone who dumped me, I can imagine something might come out.

    Also, I'm extraordinarily willing to be yelled at and called names for dumping - I don't mind being the target for someone's letdown and hurt. This is a particular topic that I bend over backwards to accommodate, I guess -- ie. that is why I give MacKay (who I loathe) extra slack.

    By Blogger Jacques Beau Vert, at 6:31 p.m.  

  • Penny, btw, what I wouldn't give to have you helping me out on any rare flight I take (I'm scared of flying!).

    By Blogger Jacques Beau Vert, at 6:32 p.m.  

  • It is one thing to cut them some slack outside of the House, but on the floor of the House itself?!? Sorry, can't do it myself. I was watching QP that day on CPAC and I did hear the comment although I did not see the finger pointing. I tend to have the volume up so I can catch some of the heckling since I know some of it does not make it into Hansard. At first I thought I couldn't have heard that right, then this started up afterwards and the finger pointing to Stronach's seat was added. I find that reprehensible and sexist, and when I consider this is the man whose portfolio is to manage our international relationships I find it impossible to consider cutting him any slack whatsoever and however heartbroken he truly is.

    I will add I don't like the man, never really did any more than I cared for his father Elmer. Even so and taking this into account would still have to say this is inexcusable for someone in his position with his responsibilities after this length of time. This was scored for it's political impact, this was not the heart of pain but a calculated piece of snark to twist his personal hatred at his political opponents, and I find doing so with such a sexist and degrading means contemptible no matter who is doing it.

    What really gets me is that for all the snark some have about Stronach's success in life being because Daddy gave it to her few people stop to consider that MacKay had his seat handed to him by his father, inherited his father's apparatus and networks to gain and hold that seat, and that he wouldn't be where he is today without the advantages his father gave him to his professional life. This was frat boy level behaviour from a man that was once if briefly the head of a federal party and is our current foreign minister. This should not be seen as acceptable nor even as funny IMHO. It is not clever, it is mean spirited and truly juvenile. Incidentally, I heard the knitting needles remark and I can tell folks that many around his riding and especially those in Alexa's riding found that remark to be incredibly sexist since for someone from this local culture that is EXACTLY what it is! He is from down here, as is Alexa, and as am I and he knew exactly how sexist (as in woman only fit to knit and mind her business from her betters) the comment would be taken as down here.

    By Blogger Scotian, at 10:13 p.m.  

  • Stronach was on Duffy with Eaber today and a female Conservative mp.She went into her well rehearsed rant about the Conservatives being against women,When the Conservative mp pointed out Liberal mp Denis Coderre recently made a slur about Rona Ambrose and asked Stronach why she never demanded an apology Stronach had the deer in the headlight look,and ignored her when she asked again if Coderre should say sorry.

    So apparently if a Conservative says it its wrong but if a Liberal says it you just ignore it.If Mackay said it he should say he was wrong.But for Stronach and the Liberals to create so much out of it is the height of partisan politics.

    By Blogger paulsstuff, at 10:45 p.m.  

  • Eaber should be Taber

    By Blogger paulsstuff, at 10:47 p.m.  

  • I agree with Penney that when people are conducting professional business that they are required to conduct themselves differently than if they are drowning the sorrows over a coffee with a friend. That this man is still so emotionally compromised 16 months after the break up is a concern.

    What did Dennis Coderre say and if it was a real concern why was it not brought up at the time?

    And Tory Blue given Mr. MacKay's own practices in terms of faithfulness I don't believe he would be in a position to criticize Ms. Stronach. They both have difficulty with living a life that supports fidelity as somethng worthy- Peter MacKay and Belinda Stronach both have comparable values on that.

    By Blogger MissHailey, at 2:08 a.m.  

  • Apparently, the experts in such matters in the Office of the Speaker of the House (who incidentally was elected as a Liberal) cannot find any evidence of this comment in the tapes. Yet Craig Oliver rants on on CTV about "denying the undenyable". Sadly, he's not referring to his own bias.

    By Blogger Paul, at 3:40 a.m.  

  • Peter MacKlander is a canadian citizen.

    By Anonymous mauri shoes, at 7:04 a.m.  

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